UAE travel update: Check latest Emirates, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia flight changes
Here’s what passengers need to know before heading to the airport
DUBAI – UAE travellers are starting the week with fresh flight disruptions after a weekend of cancellations and delays across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Emirates and Etihad Airways continue to operate most services, but some flights are running behind schedule, while flydubai and Air Arabia have cancelled selected regional services.
The changing situation means passengers should treat their individual flight status as the most important piece of information before setting out for the airport. Airlines and airports continue to update schedules, and not every delay or cancellation is necessarily linked to regional security developments, with operational and technical issues also affecting some services.
For travellers flying from the UAE today, here is what to know about the latest airport, airline and destination updates.
UAE flights
Dubai International Airport (DXB) reported several delays on Monday morning.
The affected services included flydubai flight FZ815 from Dubai to Abha, which was cancelled, while Emirates EK161 from Dubai to Dublin was delayed. flynas XY216 from Dubai to Riyadh was also delayed.
SpiceJet services were among the other flights affected, with SG9023 from Dubai to Mumbai, SG5106 from Dubai to New Delhi and SG5023 from Dubai to Mumbai all delayed.
The disruptions follow a weekend in which several services were cancelled or operated behind schedule. On Sunday, cancellations at DXB included selected flydubai, Emirates and Air India Express flights, while a number of other services faced delays.
Some flights departing Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi also faced delays on Monday morning.
Passengers should therefore check their flight again shortly before leaving home, even if the booking previously showed an on-time departure.
Emirates
Emirates continues to operate flights to Bahrain and Kuwait, although some early morning services have experienced delays.
The airline is advising passengers to check its latest flight information before travelling, as schedules can change.
For Monday, Emirates flight EK161 from Dubai to Dublin was among the services reported as delayed.
The weekend also brought selected cancellations and delays across the Emirates network. The airline continues to operate most services, but passengers should rely on the latest individual booking and flight-status information rather than assuming that a route is operating normally.
Etihad Airways
Etihad's Bahrain services are operating as scheduled, while some individual flights have faced delays.
Flight EY653 from Abu Dhabi to Kuwait departed late, while EY551 to Riyadh was also delayed. Other services were scheduled to operate normally.
The airline has continued operating its wider network from Zayed International Airport, although recent days have seen delays affecting selected regional and international flights.
For passengers travelling from Abu Dhabi, checking the flight number directly with Etihad before leaving for the airport remains important, particularly for early morning departures and regional services.
flydubai
flydubai flight FZ815 from Dubai to Abha has been cancelled.
The airline has also reminded passengers departing from Dubai to allow at least four hours before their flight and to complete online check-in where available.
Abha has been one of the more affected regional destinations, with flydubai services between Dubai and the Saudi city facing cancellations in recent days. The latest Monday cancellation follows further disruption over the weekend.
Passengers should check both their booking and the latest flight status before travelling to DXB.
Air Arabia
Air Arabia has reported cancellations affecting services between the UAE and Kuwait and Bahrain.
Among the latest changes, G9068 and G9124 from Sharjah to Kuwait were cancelled, while G9121 remained operational but had not departed at the time of the update.
On the Sharjah-Bahrain route, G9107 was cancelled, while G9101 had arrived and G9103 and G9105 were scheduled to operate.
Air Arabia Abu Dhabi also reported a cancellation involving flight 3L020 to Kuwait. Other services between Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Bahrain were either yet to depart or remained scheduled.
The airline's schedules remain subject to change, so passengers should check their individual flight status before setting off.
Regional tensions
The latest aviation disruption comes as the wider regional security situation remains unsettled.
Recent developments involving Iran and the US have added uncertainty to regional air travel, particularly around routes that depend on airspace across the Gulf and surrounding region.
The situation is also being watched by energy markets. According to the latest information supplied by IATA, the global average jet fuel price rose 7.4 per cent in the latest week to $194.90 a barrel, adding to the cost pressures facing airlines.
Middle East crude exports were reported at 12.8 million barrels per day in September by maritime intelligence firm Kpler. Oil prices and bond yields also moved higher on Monday after the US rejected an Iranian proposal linked to reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
For passengers, the immediate impact is less about fuel prices themselves and more about the possibility of airlines continuing to adjust schedules as regional conditions develop.
International airlines
The disruption is not limited to UAE carriers.
Several international airlines continue to suspend or adjust Dubai services, while others are gradually restoring flights.
Air France has suspended Dubai services through October 13. Singapore Airlines, KLM, ITA Airways and SWISS have Dubai services suspended through October 24, according to the latest schedule information.
Air Canada has extended its Dubai flight cancellations into January 2027.
Turkish Airlines has resumed services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while flights to Tehran remain suspended.
Several carriers also have scheduled UAE service resumptions in the coming weeks. Philippine Airlines is scheduled to resume Dubai services on October 2, while Wizz Air has scheduled Dubai services from October 25 and Abu Dhabi services from October 27.
Lufthansa's Dubai-Frankfurt and Dubai-Munich services are scheduled to resume on October 25, with SWISS planning to resume Dubai-Zurich services on October 27. Eurowings has a November 1 resumption date for Dubai, while British Airways services are scheduled to return on November 4.
These are scheduled dates rather than guarantees. Airlines can change them depending on operational and security conditions.
Travel advisories
Travellers should also check the latest advice issued by their own government before departure.
The US State Department currently lists the UAE at Level 3, or "Reconsider Travel", citing terrorism and armed conflict. Its advisory says the regional conflict has contributed to significant disruption to commercial flights.
Australia's Smartraveller also advises travellers to reconsider their need to travel to the UAE, warning that regional military conflict may result in airspace closures, flight cancellations and other travel disruption.
Canada currently advises against non-essential travel to the UAE because of the volatile security situation in the region.
Travel advice can differ between governments and can change rapidly, so passengers should check the latest advisory applicable to their nationality before departure.
What travellers should do
The most important step for passengers is to check the latest status of the individual flight, rather than relying solely on the overall route or the airline's normal schedule.
Travellers should check the airline's official website or app before leaving home and again before travelling to the airport. Passengers should allow additional time for check-in, security and immigration, particularly during periods of disruption. Emirates and Etihad passengers should follow the latest instructions issued through their booking, while flydubai advises passengers departing Dubai to allow four hours before departure.
Online check-in should be completed where available, and travellers should keep their mobile number and email address updated with the airline so they can receive schedule-change notifications.
Passengers whose flights are cancelled should contact the airline before making separate travel arrangements. They should also retain booking confirmations, boarding documents and receipts for any necessary expenses.